


It's Always About the Family (Blueprints Remix)

by CoffeeWithConsequences



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Family, Gen, Remix, Siblings, Sister-Sister Relationship, mentor Eames, sister Ariadne
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-05
Updated: 2018-09-05
Packaged: 2019-07-07 11:57:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,963
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15907803
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/CoffeeWithConsequences/pseuds/CoffeeWithConsequences
Summary: This story is a remix of Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)'s wonderful story,Blueprints. Ariadne's sister, Penny, is (mostly) grown up and comes to visit her in Paris while she's working on the Fischer job. Unlikely as it seems, Penny leads the team to the clue they need to get into Robert Fischer's psyche.





	It's Always About the Family (Blueprints Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Blueprints](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1529375) by [Elizabeth Culmer (edenfalling)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/edenfalling/pseuds/Elizabeth%20Culmer). 



> A huge thank you to [QueenThayet](https://archiveofourown.org/users/QueenThayet/profile), who made this one happen with both her brilliant brainstorm and her careful beta. 
> 
> While this is a remix of Blueprints, I'm also indebted to another of Elizabeth Culmer's stories, [Skies of Summer](https://archiveofourown.org/works/1534907), for ideas.

Penelope grew up in love. It wasn’t weird to her, because it had always been that way. She loved her parents, and her grandparents, and, later on, her friends. But for as far back as she could remember, she adored her sister.

Ariadne was eight when Penny was born, so in Penny’s earliest memories, when she was around four or five, Ariadne was a preteen. While adolescent Ari was given to eye rolls and occasionally yelling at their parents, she was nearly always patient and kind with Penny. Manhattan apartments being the size they are, Ariadne and Penny still shared a room, and Ariadne was Penny’s favorite story reader, block builder, and general playmate. Everything she did seemed like magic.

Penelope was ten when Ariadne left for college. After a tearful goodbye, Penny shut herself in their room--her room, now--and cried for what seemed like days. Momma kept trying to talk to her about it, but she had nothing to say. Even though Ariadne called, even though she sent Penelope regular letters, littered with funny little drawings, she was all the way up in Toronto. Momma told Penny that she and Ariadne had lived in Toronto once, a long time ago, before they even met Daddy. That made it worse. Penny didn’t like imagining Ariadne existing without her.

When Ariadne finished college in Toronto, she spent a year at home in New York before she went to Paris for graduate school. Penny was 14, her adolescence much more turbulent than Ariadne’s had been. She fought with their parents constantly, the carpet worn down between the front door and her room from her stomping. The bedroom door closed funny from so much slamming.

Penny didn’t even know if she was glad Ariadne was home. She still felt abandoned, though she understood now why Ariadne would choose to go to college far outside New York. “If I were going to college,” Penny told Ariadne one night, as they lay on their twin beds just like they had as children, “I would go as far away as I could. California. Or the moon.”

“What do you mean by ‘if’?” Ariadne asked. “You don’t plan to go to college?”

Penny snorted. “Ari, have you ever seen my grades?”

Ariadne knew better than to press, so she changed the subject.

Ariadne was still living at home the first time Penny got arrested. She and some friends had been messing around in the subway, jumping the turnstiles, overturning trash cans. Her parents weren’t impressed. When Ariadne got home from work, Penny heard the door close. Ari didn’t even stop to take her coat off, she came straight into their bedroom.

“Do you want to talk about it?” Ariadne’s voice was calm and sympathetic.

Penny didn’t look up, just shrugged and continued to pull at threads in her quilt. “Did something stupid, got caught.”

Ariadne sat down next to her sister. “Why, though?”

Penny shrugged again. “Nothing...nothing I do is going to be good. You’re the good daughter--you’re smart and nice and patient and pretty. I’m never going to be those things. So I might as well have some fun.”

When Penny looked up, Ariadne’s eyes looked wet. Penny rolled her eyes. “Don’t get all weepy. You’re as bad as Mom.”

Ariadne smiled. “Sorry. I just...I feel like I let you down.”

“It’s not your fault I’m a fuck-up.” Penny made sure to keep her voice level and strong.

Ariadne didn’t answer. That night, she slept in Penny’s bed with her, for the first time since before she left for college. Penny wouldn’t admit it, but she slept better than she had in a long time.

* * *

 

“OK, Pen, calm down. I’m listening.” Ariadne glanced around the work space. Cobb and Eames were both out somewhere. Arthur was scowling at his computer, Yusuf was scowling at his chemicals. Neither appeared to be paying attention. Not the best time for a call, but not the worst.

On the other end of the line, her sister’s voice got higher and faster. Ariadne’s early years in Toronto, combined with four years of college, had tempered the New York in her own accent, but Penny had lived her whole life in the city, and the more agitated she became, the more she sounded like it.

Ariadne didn’t get every word, but she’d known the general outline of what Penny would say before she ever picked up the call. Once again, Penny was butting heads with their mother and Sam. This time seemed a bit more serious than usual, but with Penny’s flair drama, it was hard to tell.

“Calm down,” Ariadne ordered. “I can’t even understand what you’re saying.”

Ariadne’s change of voice must have alerted him, because Arthur looked up and raised an eyebrow. Ariadne shook her head, hoping to indicate it was nothing with which Arthur needed to be concerned. He shrugged and returned his attention to his screen.

The longer Penny talked, the more worried Ariadne became. The fights between Penny and their parents were nothing new, but it sounded like she’d gotten herself in some real trouble this time.

Ariadne and Penny had been close from childhood, but since Ariadne left for school, Penny got wilder every year. At fourteen, she started getting arrested for shoplifting and petty mischief. She stayed out all night with her friends--rich, spoiled, nasty kids. She took drugs. She failed her classes. Their mother and Sam had no idea how to handle any of it. Ariadne had her years of rolled eyes and backtalk, but she’d never been in any actual trouble. In truth, she was just as out of her depth as their parents.

How things have changed, Ariadne thought, making sympathetic noises into the phone. For the first time, she was probably even farther on the wrong side of the law than her sister.

“So can I?” Penny asked.

“Sorry, what?” Ariadne hadn’t realized how little she’d actually been listening.

“Come to visit you,” Penny said, exasperated. “I have to get away from them for a while.”

Ariadne’s eyes widened. “Oh, um, no. It’s a really bad time. I have so much to do for school…” She tripped over her words.

On the line, Penny made a displeased sound. “You never have time for me anymore, Ari. And I need you!”

Ariadne sighed. It wasn’t as if she didn’t know how manipulative Penny could be. Even at four and five, demanding another story or that Ariadne build her something with Legos, Penny made you miserable if you denied her anything. No matter what, though, Ariadne never wanted to say no to Penny--she loved her baby sister and couldn’t deny her anything. But this couldn’t have come at a worse time.

“I’m sorry, Penny,” Ariadne said, trying to remain calm. “I really am just swamped. I have this new...internship. And it’s taking all my time.”

“That’s OK!” Penny said, voice suddenly bright. “I can just hang out, see Paris. I don’t mind wandering around by myself while you’re working. I’m a New Yorker, Ari--I’m pretty sure I can handle Paris.”

“You don’t even speak French,” Ariadne said, knowing even as she said it that she’d already lost.

Penny snorted. “I’ll put an app on my phone. Come on! Mom and Dad already said I could go. I think they’re happy to be rid of me for a while. I won’t be any trouble, I promise.”

Ariadne knew, beyond a doubt, that her sister would be trouble. But by the time she ended the call, she was already planning for how she’d hide Penny from the team, and, more importantly, how she’d hide the team from Penny.

The first two days of Penny’s visit went fine. Ariadne spent a bit less time at the warehouse, and Penny made good on her promise to amuse herself. When Ariadne came in on the third morning, though, Arthur was waiting for her with a frown. “I hate to have to do this,” he said, “but I need to talk to you.”

“OK?” Ariadne frowned as she unwound her scarf.

“This isn’t really a 9-to-5 thing,” Arthur said. “We have a pretty short timeline, and we are all going to have to hustle to be ready.”

Ariadne internally groaned. She’d been hoping Arthur was so involved in his own work that he hadn’t noticed her sneaking out before 7. She ought to have known better. “I’m sorry,” she said, automatically.

Arthur peered at her curiously. “What’s going on?” he asked. “You were here all hours until the past two days. Did something happen?”

Ariadne searched her brain for a reasonable lie, but Arthur was a particularly hard person to lie to, and she’d never been good at it in the first place. She sighed. “My sister is here,” she finally admitted.

“Your sister?” Arthur sounded as if he were unfamiliar with the concept.

Ariadne couldn’t help but roll her eyes. “Yes. She’s 17. She’s visiting from New York.”

“Now?” Arthur raised his eyebrows as if in shock. “While we’re doing this?” He shook his head. “Maybe Cobb didn’t make it clear, but this job is serious. It’s illegal. If we get caught, we will go to jail. And that’s if law enforcement even gets involved. You don’t want your little sister anywhere near this.”

“I know!” Ariadne said, irritated that Arthur thought he knew better than she did. “This visit wasn’t my idea, but she’s here and she’s 17 and I’m not going to throw her out, so I am making the best of it. She doesn’t know anything about this,” she gestured around the warehouse. “And you weren’t supposed to know anything about her, either!”

Arthur scowled. “Fine.” He rubbed his eyes, which never stopped looking tense. “Keep her away from here. And you need to be ready when it’s go time.”

“Got it, boss,” Ariadne said acidly. Then she turned toward her models, making sure Arthur knew that the conversation was over.

By the fourth day of her visit, Penelope was sick of amusing herself. “Come on, Ari,” she whined. “Take a day off! Come out with me!”

“I can’t,” Ariadne said shortly, pulling on her boots. “I have things that have to get done.”

“Then I’ll come with you!” Penny suggested. “You can show me all your cool architecture stuff, and then we’ll have lunch.”

“This is a job, Pen,” Ariadne said. “I can’t just bring you with me.”

Penny glowered. “Forget it. I won’t interrupt your big, important life.” She flopped dramatically down on the one chair in Ariadne’s apartment. “Guess I’ll just watch TV or something.”

Midway through the afternoon, Eames stopped next to Ariadne’s drafting table. He looked intently at the model for a few minutes, but didn’t say anything. Finally, Ariadne had to ask. “Is there something you need, Eames?”

Eames shook his head. “No, petal. I just noticed you seem a bit out of sorts this week, is all. Wondered if there was anything I could do?”

Ariadne narrowed her eyes. She liked Eames, but trusted him less than she trusted the rest of the team. While she understood that they were all criminals--including herself--Eames was the one who really seemed like it. It made her uneasy. “No,’ she said. “I’m fine.”

Eames shook his head again. “I’d say not,” he argued, voice still pleasant. “It’s important to be honest with one’s team members with this kind of caper. Too much can go wrong otherwise.”

Ariadne scowled. Eames should be talking to Cobb if he was concerned about honesty. “I’m fine,” she insisted.

Eames shrugged. “Have it your way,” he said breezily, already headed back across the room.

That night, Ariadne took Penny to her favorite cafe for a late dinner. Penny was still sulking, but Ariadne hoped that an evening out might help. Penny ordered wine, and the waiter didn’t blink, so her mood was already improving by the time they got their menus.

As they ate their entrees, Penny told Ariadne a few stories of things that had been happening in New York. She was clearly telling half-truths, as many of the events to which she referred had already been described to Ariadne by their parents, but Ariadne didn’t question her on it. It was better to be an easy-to-dupe sister than Penny could lean on than to try to be another parental figure and end up just as ineffective as the two they already had.

They had just finished their meals and were talking about dessert when Eames approached their table. He emerged from the back of the cafe, not the door. He hadn’t just come in. She reached into her coat pocket to check the smooth outline of her chess piece. Eames noticed the gesture and smiled. “Ariadne,” he said, leaning down and kissing her cheek. “How lovely to see you.” He turned to Penny. “This must be your sister?”

“Yes,” Penny said, before Ariadne could even get a word out. “I’m Penelope.” To Ariadne’s mixed shock and amusement, Eames took the hand Penny extended and held it briefly to his lips.

“Ariadne,” Penny said, her voice lilting up in a way Ariadne hadn’t heard before, “aren’t you going to ask your friend to sit and have dessert with us?”

Before Ariadne could respond, Eames was sliding into the chair between them. “I’d love to,” he said, fixing Ari with a wolfish grin before he turned his attention back to Penny.

Dessert was endless. Penny hung on Eames’ every word, and he seemed bound and determined to charm her. By the time they said their goodbyes, Penny had near-literal stars in her eyes. “I’ll see you tomorrow, Ariadne,” Eames said, holding Penny’s coat open for her to slip into.

Ariadne scowled. Surely Eames knew she’d intended to tell Penny she knew him from somewhere other than work. Was he doing this on purpose?

Penny barely waited until they’d turned the corner from the cafe to begin peppering Ariadne with questions about Eames. How long had she known him? What did he do--he couldn’t possibly be a stuffy architect? Were they involved?

Ariadne snorted. “We are definitely not involved. Did you not notice how old he is?”

Penny shrugged. “Maybe, but he’s good looking.”

Ariadne briefly remembered the day Eames spilled coffee down the front of his shirt in the warehouse and stripped it off as not to burn himself. Bare-chested, he was certainly something to see. She wouldn’t share that tidbit with Penny. “He’s got to be near 40, Penny,” she said firmly. “You’re 17.”

Penny rolled her eyes. “I didn’t ask him to marry me, Ari.”

By the time they reached Ariadne’s apartment, Penny was focused on the work aspect of the situation. “Do you work closely with him?”

Ariadne pictured the small area of the warehouse the team had taken over. “Yes,” she said, cautiously. “We’re on the same team.”

“So you see him every day?”

“Most days, yeah.”

“That’s it, then!” Penny said. “I am DEFINITELY going to work with you tomorrow.”

Ariadne tried to argue, but she’d lost as soon as Eames approached their table. At least she could blame him when Arthur complained.

* * *

 

Penny was unimpressed with the rundown warehouse Ariadne brought her to. She’d pictured a glass-walled skyscraper, or at least a charming little office in an old brick building. This place looked like it belonged in the Meatpacking District, and not in a good way. Most of the space was dirty and disused, and the part to which Ariadne led her had very little real furniture. “What the hell?” she muttered, looking around.

“You’re the one who wanted to tag along,” Ariadne answered sharply. A man was approaching them. He was cute, in a tight-assed kind of way, and wore an expensive suit. Penny was reminded of the young Wall Street types she and her friends made fun of on the street.

“Arthur,” Ariadne said, sounding distinctly nervous, “this is my sister, Penny. Penny, this is Arthur.”

Arthur stuck his hand out and Penny shook it. His scowl didn’t change. “Eames told me he thought you might be bringing Penny by,” he said, his voice clipped. “She’s probably going to be bored, though.”

Penny bristled. She hated it when people talked about her like she wasn’t standing right there. “I’m sure I won’t be,” she said. “I’m pretty good at keeping myself amused.”

Two hours later, Penny was indeed regretting her choice to tag along. Ariadne had been silently working on her model--it looked like a hospital--the whole time, not even acknowledging Penny. A tired-looking blonde guy had come in briefly, spoken to Arthur, then left again. Arthur hadn’t even looked in Penny’s direction. Eames hadn’t appeared. The only interesting part was the Indian guy in the corner in what looked like the lab from the chemistry class Penny had failed last semester. He wasn’t doing much of interest, but at least he tried to talk to her every now and again.

“Ari, this is boring.” Penny pouted.

“Not my problem,” Ariadne retorted. “I told you it would be. Feel free to go, if you want. You know where the Metro stop is?”

Penny glared at her. “Where’s Eames?”

Ariadne shrugged. “He keeps his own hours. Probably had something else to do this morning.”

A few minutes later, Eames appeared. He smirked when he saw Penny, then walked over. “So good to see you again,” he said. “And good morning, Ariadne.”

“Eames,” Ariadne said shortly, not looking up.

Eames winked at Penny before sauntering over to have a low conversation with Arthur. A minute later, Arthur asked Ariadne to come to join them. Penny scowled. It wasn’t like she couldn’t tell when she was being talked about.

“We’ve come up with an idea, love,” Eames said smoothly, as he and Arthur and Ari broke from the little cluster in which they’d be standing, speaking in voices too low for Penny to make out. “You’re going to be dead bored in here all day with these fuddy-duddies. Why won’t you come out with me? I’ve a few errands to run, and I can show you some spots in Paris that your sister would never.”

Penny grinned in spite of herself. She knew she was being passed off to Eames for babysitting, but she didn’t much care. “Sure,” she said, already gathering up her coat and bag. “Sounds good.”

“Eames, I want my sister back in one piece, virtue intact,” Ariadne said.

Penny shook her head and smirked. “It's a little too late for that, Ariadne.”

Eames laughed as they headed for the door.

Eames’ errands weren’t terribly interesting--he had to stop at a tailor, then a clerk’s office of some kind. After waiting a terribly long time in line there, he suggested they go to lunch. When Penny ordered a beer, all he did was order one for himself as well.

“I’m sorry you got stuck babysitting me,” Penny said, the silence between them after the waitress left making her uneasy.

“Not at all,” Eames answered. “I’m happy to be spending my day with someone new, and someone as interesting to talk to and lovely to look at as yourself.”

Penny knew when she was being flirted with. A ripple of excitement went through her. She thought a moment, then looked up and met Eames’ eyes, holding his gaze. “So are we going back to your place or a hotel room or what?” She kept her voice casual.

Eames’ eyes went from half-hooded and flirtatious to wide open and panicked. His mouth hung open a minute before he stuttered out, “wait, what? No!”

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to fuck in Ari’s apartment, but I guess if you want to risk it, you’re the one who has to work with her,” Penny shrugged.

“No, I’m not going to --- Jesus. You’re a kid.” Eames ran his hand through his hair nervously.

Penny inhaled sharply, embarrassed and irritated. “Don’t pretend that’s not where you were going with this,” she gestured between them and around the restaurant. “You’re the one flirting with me.”

Eames shook his head in disbelief. “I was trying to be nice, love,” he said, voice going softer. “I’m having a good time hanging out with you. But that’s not sexual. You’re a teenager.”

Penny scowled. “I’m almost 18.”

Eames chuckled. “Yeah, not helping your case.” He looked amused, but also kind. “Petal, you are gorgeous. I’m sure you have boys and girls lining up to eat out of your hand. But I am more than twenty years older than you are. I’m also gay, come to think of it.”

Penny wished she could sink into her chair. “Oh. I’m…sorry I misunderstood.” She looked down at her plate.

“Don’t be,” Eames said. He reached out as if to touch her, but thought better of it and drew his hand away. “I’m flattered. And if I were in your age range, and attracted to women, I would absolutely shag you.”

Oddly, his candor made Penny feel a bitter better. When she looked up, his kind eyes were searching her face. “What do you say we blow off the rest of what I am supposed to be doing today and go somewhere more fun?” he asked.

She smiled. “What do you have in mind?”

An hour later, Penny’s stomach hurt from laughing. She and Eames were walking through the Louvre. She hadn’t been impressed with his choice of activities--she’d been to the museum before--but that was before he started his special “dirty paintings only” tour. He moved through the museum with the ease of someone who’d spent hundreds of hours there, seeking out the most pornographic pieces in the collection and telling Penny their stories. Most of what he said was probably made up on the spot, but it didn’t matter.

When they sat on a bench to take a rest, Eames began a story about his youth. Penny hated it when adults insisted on telling her about their teenage exploits as a way of trying to connect, but this felt different. Eames wasn’t embarrassed at all by the story he was telling, which was about stealing a painting from a gallery. He seemed amused.

“Is this where you tell me about how you saw the error of your ways when you got older and don’t want me to have to learn lessons the hard way like you did?” Penny looked at her feet as she asked. “Because that would be really disappointing.”

“Fuck no!” Eames exclaimed. He was loud enough that several other museum guests turned to glare at them. “I’m not sorry. It was great fun, and paid a tidy sum, too.”

Penny’s eyebrows went up in surprise as she stared at Eames. “So what’s the big moral, then?”

Eames gave her a puzzled frown. “Um...I guess to make sure you know which major cross streets are closest if you’re going to try to make your escape via taxi?” He appeared serious.

Penny laughed. “Noted.”

By the time Eames and Penny returned to the warehouse, the sun was setting. Ariadne and Arthur both fixed them with curious glances, but Penny ignored them, and Eames appeared to as well.

“How did it go?” Ariadne asked cautiously. She was still poking at her model.

“It was fun,” Penny answered. “Eames is way more entertaining than you.”

“I don’t doubt that.” Ariadne frowned down at the table.

After handing Arthur the sheaf of papers they’d waited in line for at the clerk’s office, Eames strolled over to Ariadne’s workstation. “We had a lovely time,” he said. “Penny is an excellent assistant.”

Penny thought of arguing--she hadn’t actually assisted with anything. Eames continued before she could. “I’d like to borrow you again tomorrow if that’s OK,” he said, looking at Penny. “I’ve got something else you can help with.”

Arthur looked up and frowned, but said nothing. Ariadne looked surprised, but didn’t argue. “Absolutely!” Penny said, smiling. She had no idea what Eames had in store for her, but knew it had to be better than her other options.

Penny worked with Eames for three days. Mostly, they ran errands and followed a couple of old guys in suits around to see what they did. Penny asked some questions about what the actual job could possibly be, but Eames was just as cagey about it as Ariadne. Unlike Ariadne, though, Eames didn’t try to pretend it was legitimate.

“Ariadne told me this was her internship,” Penny said. They were sitting on a bench across from an office building, waiting for someone to come out. “But it’s not.”

Eames chuckled. “I’d say not,” he agreed. “But it’s best you stay out of that, petal. Your sister knows what she’s doing, and it’s not a good idea for you to get more involved.”

Penny frowned. “Is she in trouble?” It was hard to imagine Ariadne being in trouble, but the whole situation was just too strange.

“Nope, safe as houses,” Eames said. Then he picked up a thread of conversation from hours earlier, asking Penny about her arrests.

Penny was amazed by how easy Eames was to talk to. He didn’t seem to hold any judgment about all the bad things she’d done. He didn’t tell her she was upsetting her parents, who were good people. He didn’t tell her she was destroying her future. He didn’t even tell her she’d get herself hurt. Instead, he laughed at the funny parts of her stories, made sympathetic noises at the sad parts, and offered his own stories in return. He even gave her a few tips on how to stop getting caught so often, especially when it came to stealing.

“Let me get this straight,” Penny finally said. “You’re not telling me not to steal, because stealing is wrong. You’re telling me not to get caught, because getting caught sucks?”

“Absolutely. Steal all you want. Just get better at it.” Eames finished the last bite of his sandwich and balled the paper wrapper up in his fist. “Basic principles, my girl--you can do anything you want, so long as you don’t get caught.”

Penny was thrilled. Much as she adored her sister, even Ariadne never talked to her like this. While it may just be that Eames didn’t give a fuck one way or the other, it really seemed like he was speaking to her as an adult.

As the afternoon dragged on and their mark (it was the word Eames used, so Penny was trying to get used to it) hadn’t appeared, Penny pumped him for more stories of his misspent youth. After a while, he told the story of getting kicked out of his fourth school--something with which Penny had some experience. “My father gave up after that,” Eames finished. “He finally realized I always ways going to be a disappointment and stopped trying.”

Penny tilted her head as she considered her response. She knew Eames wasn’t interested in her, but she couldn’t help but enjoy his profile as he spoke, his eyes still fixed on the building across the street. “That’s what my parents need to do,” she said. “We’d all be happier if they just realized I am never going to be what they want.”

Eames glanced at her and smiled. “Don’t be so hasty” he warned, his voice going a bit sad. “Even when you can’t stand the fuckers, it hurts to have a parent give up on you.”

Penny didn’t answer, but she was still looking at Eames when his eyes grew wide. “Holy hell,” he exclaimed. “Penny, my girl, I think you just blew this wide open!”

Penny frowned. “What the hell are you talking about?”

Eames’ eyes sparkled when he looked at her. “The relationship with his father! That’s the way into Fischer’s subconscious! No matter how much he hates the old man, he’s going to want to please him somewhere in the back of his little brain. We all do!”

Penny had no idea what Eames was talking about. She’d heard the name “Fischer” around the warehouse, but Eames and Ariadne were both still keeping her in the dark so far as any details on the job were concerned. “His subconscious?” she asked, puzzled.

Eames stood up from the bench and pulled her up as well, grabbing her around the waist and twirling her around. Everybody near them frowned, and Penny saw one woman take her cell phone out as if she were going to call some kind of authority.

“We’ve been looking at it all wrong!” Eames near-shouted. “It’s not about business! It’s about family! It’s always about the family!” He put her down suddenly, reaching down to pick their trash up from the bench. “Come on, we’ve got to get back to the warehouse!”

Penny was still puzzled. “But...what about the guy in there?” She gestured across the street at the building they’d been watching all afternoon.

“Doesn’t matter now, we’re not going to need him!” Eames didn’t explain further, just grabbed her bag and handed it to her. “Quick!”

When they got back to the warehouse, Penny was annoyed to find that Eames agreed with Arthur and Ariadne that she needed to go out for a bit while they had a meeting with Cobb and Yusuf. Her irritation was tempered, though, when Eames loudly told them both that it had been her idea that was going to make the case. “I’m so glad you brought your sister, Ariadne! She’s a genius!”

Walking down the warehouse stairs, Penny still had no idea what she’d said that was so exciting, but for the first time in ages, she felt like she’d done something right.


End file.
